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Foto Friday: Veteran’s Day

For this week’s Foto Friday, in honor of Veteran’s Day, I decided use old photographs to pay tribute to veterans in my family.

My “doughboy” great-grandfather, Jim Tanksley, served in the Army during World War I, if only briefly. He registered for the draft in June 1917 and was called into military service in August 1918, three months prior to the Armistice. He served overseas, most likely in France, and a year later he was discharged from the Army. This image of him is from a postcard.

Jim in his Army uniform, circa 1918

Like father, like son. Jim’s son and my great uncle, James Earl Tanksley, was a World War II veteran. Uncle James is pictured here with his mother, my great grandmother, Della. The clarity is not great, but I really love this picture because of the way she is looking at her son with such love and pride.

4 thoughts on “Foto Friday: Veteran’s Day”

Love both of these pics, but especially the second. It strikes me as particularly noble for both to have such looks of pride in fighting for a country that, in 1942, had not even ended segregation. To make yourself available to fight for freedom–an idea that is not even attainable to you–now that is dignified!

I love old pictures! You’re blessed to them. My grandfather served in WW1 also, but I don’t have any pics. As to the second, of mother and son… Way back when, it was considered an honor to go off and fight for your country, whatever the circumstances here. That’s just my opinion. And the picture also says, “no matter how big get, I’ll always be mama, and you’ll listen to me, regardless.”